U.S. patent application number 13/979775 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-31 for shield conductor.
This patent application is currently assigned to AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is Naoki Aoyama, Sonoda Fujio, Yasushi Itani, Katsutoshi Izawa, Masanori Kuwahara, Yoshinori Sugimoto. Invention is credited to Naoki Aoyama, Sonoda Fujio, Yasushi Itani, Katsutoshi Izawa, Masanori Kuwahara, Yoshinori Sugimoto.
Application Number | 20130284487 13/979775 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46757983 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130284487 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Izawa; Katsutoshi ; et
al. |
October 31, 2013 |
SHIELD CONDUCTOR
Abstract
A shield conductor is provided with electrical wires and a metal
pipe that encloses the electrical wires and whose outer peripheral
surface is covered with an orange (color other than a metallic
color) resin layer. The pipe is routed so that at least a portion
passes in proximity to an exhaust pipe of a vehicle. A section of
the pipe passing in proximity to the exhaust pipe that faces the
exhaust pipe does not have the resin layer and the metallic-colored
outer peripheral surface of the section remains exposed.
Inventors: |
Izawa; Katsutoshi;
(Yokkaichi-city, JP) ; Kuwahara; Masanori;
(Yokkaichi-city, JP) ; Fujio; Sonoda;
(Yokkaichi-city, JP) ; Itani; Yasushi;
(Yokkaichi-city, JP) ; Sugimoto; Yoshinori;
(Yokkaichi-city, JP) ; Aoyama; Naoki;
(Yokkaichi-city, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Izawa; Katsutoshi
Kuwahara; Masanori
Fujio; Sonoda
Itani; Yasushi
Sugimoto; Yoshinori
Aoyama; Naoki |
Yokkaichi-city
Yokkaichi-city
Yokkaichi-city
Yokkaichi-city
Yokkaichi-city
Yokkaichi-city |
|
JP
JP
JP
JP
JP
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES,
LTD.
Mie
JP
SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Osaka
JP
SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
Mie
JP
|
Family ID: |
46757983 |
Appl. No.: |
13/979775 |
Filed: |
February 28, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
February 28, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2012/054862 |
371 Date: |
July 15, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
174/107 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 16/0215 20130101;
H01B 7/29 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
174/107 |
International
Class: |
H01B 7/29 20060101
H01B007/29 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 28, 2011 |
JP |
2011-041362 |
Claims
1. A shield conductor comprising: an electrical wire; and a metal
pipe that encloses the electrical wire and whose outer peripheral
surface is covered with a resin layer of a color other than a
metallic color, wherein the pipe is routed so that at least a
portion of the pipe passes in proximity to an exhaust pipe of a
vehicle, and a section of the pipe passing in proximity to the
exhaust pipe and that faces the exhaust pipe does not have the
resin layer thereon, such that a metallic-colored outer peripheral
surface of the section of the pipe is exposed.
2. The shield conductor according to claim 1, wherein the resin
layer is a resin coating of a color other than a metallic
color.
3. The shield conductor according to claim 1, wherein the resin
layer is a heat shrinkable tube of a color other than a metallic
color.
4. The shield conductor according to claim 1, wherein the section
of the pipe whose metallic-colored outer peripheral surface is
exposed is arranged in an engine compartment of the vehicle,
5. The shield conductor according to claim 1, wherein the section
of the pipe whose metallic-colored outer peripheral surface is
exposed is arranged under a floor of the vehicle.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a shield conductor.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A known shield conductor used in vehicles such as electric
cars and hybrid cars is disclosed in Patent Document 1.
[0003] This shield conductor is constituted by a plurality of
conducting media housed in a pipe, and is used as a power circuit
routed between devices such as an inverter and a motor of the
vehicle.
CITATION LIST
Patent Documents
[0004] Patent Document 1: JP 2006-318680A
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0005] There are cases where the pipe of the shield conductor needs
to be colored depending on country-specific standards or the like
for reasons such as shield conductors used in vehicles potentially
being subject to high voltages (due to high voltage electrical
wires (conducting media) being inserted through the shield
conductor, etc.). For example, in the U.S., the outer surface of
the pipe has to be orange.
[0006] Here, to avoid the electric wires in the pipe heating up,
the shield conductor is desirably positioned away from the vehicle
exhaust pipe which becomes hot, so as to not be exposed to the heat
of the exhaust pipe. However, with the increasing component density
of vehicles in recent years, it is not always possible to avoid
disposing the shield conductor in proximity to the exhaust pipe. In
this case, when the shield conductor is a color such as orange,
heat from the exhaust pipe is more easily absorbed due to the
color, and the electrical wires in the pipe constituting the shield
conductor tend to heat up.
[0007] The invention was made in view of the above situation, and
has as an object to provide a shield conductor that is able to
suppress the heating up of the electrical wires in the pipe.
Solution to Problem
[0008] The invention is a shield conductor including an electrical
wire and a metal pipe that encloses the electrical wire and whose
outer peripheral surface is covered with a resin layer of a color
other than a metallic color. The pipe is routed so that at least a
portion passes in proximity to an exhaust pipe of a vehicle, and a
section of the pipe passing in proximity to the exhaust pipe that
faces the exhaust pipe does not have the resin layer and a
metallic-colored outer peripheral surface of the section is
exposed.
[0009] Depending on the standards of individual countries or the
like, the pipe of shield conductors arranged in a vehicle may have
to be colored. In the U.S., for example, the outer surface of the
pipe has to be orange. Also, in order to reduce vehicle
manufacturing costs, the components of vehicles are desirably
standardized. Here, to avoid the heating up of internal electrical
wires, the shield conductor is desirably positioned away from the
vehicle exhaust pipe which becomes hot. However, with the
increasing component density of vehicles in recent years, it is not
always possible to avoid disposing the shield conductor in
proximity to the exhaust pipe. In this case, when the shield
conductor is colored, heat from the exhaust pipe is more easily
absorbed due to the color, and the electrical wires in the pipe
tend to heat up.
[0010] According to this configuration, since the section of the
pipe passing in proximity to the exhaust pipe that faces the
exhaust pipe does not have the resin layer and the metallic-colored
outer peripheral surface remains exposed, the pipe comparatively
tend not to absorb heat from the exhaust pipe as a result of the
heat being reflected by the metallic-colored section of the pipe,
enabling the heating up of the electrical wires in the pipe to be
suppressed.
[0011] Even when this configuration is adopted, the fact that the
pipe is a high temperature pipe can still be identified in the
conventional manner, if the section of the outer peripheral surface
of the pipe passing in proximity to the exhaust pipe other than the
section facing the exhaust pipe is covered with a resin layer that
is a color other than a metallic color.
[0012] The above configuration more preferably includes any of the
following configurations.
[0013] (1) Application of a resin coating of a color other than a
metallic color as the resin layer.
[0014] This enables a color other than a metallic color to be
easily applied to the surface of the pipe.
[0015] (2) Use of a heat shrinkable tube of a color other than a
metallic color as the resin layer.
[0016] This enables the outer peripheral surface of a pipe to be
protected by the heat shrinkable tube.
[0017] (3) Arrangement of the section of the pipe whose
metallic-colored outer peripheral surface is exposed in the engine
compartment of the vehicle.
[0018] (4) Arrangement of the section of the pipe whose
metallic-colored outer peripheral surface is exposed under the
floor of the vehicle.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0019] The invention enables the heating up of electrical wires in
a pipe of a shield conductor to be suppressed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram representing a state where a
shield conductor of Embodiment 1 is routed in a vehicle.
[0021] FIG. 2 is an enlarged diagram of an exhaust pipe and the
shield conductor in proximity thereto.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shield
conductor.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram representing a state where a
shield conductor of Embodiment 2 is routed under the floor of a
vehicle.
[0024] FIG. 5 is an enlarged diagram of an exhaust pipe and the
shield conductor in proximity thereto.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Embodiment 1
[0025] Embodiment 1 of the invention will be described with
reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
[0026] A shield conductor is, as shown in FIG. 1, routed between
devices such as a battery B, an inverter I, and an unshown motor
(and generator) that constitute a drive power circuit in a vehicle
10 such as a hybrid car or an electric car. In the present
embodiment, an example in described in which a shield conductor 20
is routed between the inverter I and the battery B of the vehicle
10. Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, the up and down
directions are the same as in FIG. 1, and the frontward and
rearward directions are respectively to the left side and right
side in FIG. 1.
[0027] The vehicle 10 is, for example, a hybrid car. An engine
compartment 12 is provided in a front portion of a body 11, and an
interior 13 which is the area used by the driver is rearward of the
engine compartment 12.
[0028] The engine compartment 12 is provided under a bonnet 11A and
is partitioned from the interior 13 by a plate-like partition 14. A
lower portion of the interior 13 is partitioned from the outside by
a floor plate 15 that is continuous with a lower end of the
partition 14. The partition 14 has an insertion hole 14A through
which (a pipe 22 of) the shield conductor 20 is inserted.
[0029] The engine compartment 12 houses a gasoline-driven engine E,
and the inverter I and the unshown drive motor (generator) are
housed side-by-side above the engine E.
[0030] Exhaust gas discharged from respective cylinders of the
engine E passes through a plurality of opening ends 16A provided
side-by-side at one end of an exhaust pipe 16 that is connected to
the opening ends 16A in a continuous manner, and is directed
outside the vehicle at the other end (not shown) of the exhaust
pipe 16. The plurality of opening ends 16A of this exhaust pipe 16
collect into one, and the exhaust pipe 16 then extends rearward at
a slightly downward angle through the engine compartment 12, and is
directed outside the vehicle from near the lower end of the
partition 14 while following the bottom of the floor plate 15
substantially horizontally.
[0031] Note that the exhaust pipe 16 is fixed to the bottom of the
floor plate 15 with a fixture that is not shown. Also, the battery
B and a rear-wheel drive motor (not shown) are disposed in a back
portion of the body 11.
[0032] The inverter I and the battery B are connected by the shield
conductor 20. The shield conductor 20 is, as shown in FIG. 3,
configured by inserting two electrical wires 21 through a
cylindrical pipe 22.
[0033] The electrical wires 21 are configured by enclosing the
outer periphery of a conductive core consisting of a twisted wire
formed by twisting together a large number of metal (e.g., aluminum
alloy, copper alloy, etc.) strands with a synthetic resin
insulating cover (insulating layer), without providing a shield
layer. A terminal fitting is connected to a terminal end of the
electrical wires 21, and the electrical wires 21 are connected to
terminals of the inverter I and the battery B using these terminal
fittings.
[0034] Note that, in the present embodiment, there are two
electrical wires 21 because the shield conductor 20 is routed
between the battery B and the inverter I. However, the shield
conductor may be provided with three electrical wires 21 capable of
transmitting three-phase AC power if the shield conductor is also
routed between the inverter I and a front-wheel drive or rear-wheel
drive motor (generator).
[0035] The pipe 22 is a metal (e.g., aluminum, aluminum alloy,
copper, copper alloy, stainless steel, etc.) pipe, and is elongated
so as to produce a shield function by enclosing the electrical
wires 21 along substantially their entire length except for the
front and back ends of the electrical wires 21.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 2, the full length of this pipe 22 is
divided into a first conductive portion 22A arranged in the engine
compartment 12 (frontward of the partition 14) and a second
conductive portion 22B arranged in the interior 13 (rearward of the
partition 14) continuously with the rearward end of the first
conductive portion 22A.
[0037] The first conductive portion 22A consists of a cylindrical
main body 23 and a connecting portion 24 having a braided wire
formed by weaving thin metal wires into mesh structure and being
mounted on the front end of the main body 23. The pipe 22 is
attached to the case of the inverter I via the connecting portion
24 with the braided wire fitted onto the pipe 22. Note that the
pipe 22 and the braided wire can be connected by means such as
welding, soldering, or swaging using a swage ring.
[0038] The main body 23 extends to the insertion hole 14A in the
partition 14 at a downward angle from the connecting portion 24.
The main body 23 is thereby disposed so as to pass in proximity to
the exhaust pipe 16 and follow the exhaust pipe 16.
[0039] Note that "in proximity" to the exhaust pipe 16 means that
the pipe 22 and the exhaust pipe 16 are close enough for the
allowable current of the internal electrical wires 21 to be
affected due to the pipe 22 being exposed to the heat of the
exhaust pipe 16.
[0040] Here, the upper half (180 degree area on far side from
exhaust pipe 16) of the circular outer periphery of the main body
23 is a colored portion 23A whose metal surface has been painted
orange with a synthetic resin paint (resin coated with an orange
resin layer (note that although this area is represented with a
large number of dots in FIG. 2, the resin layer is formed uniformly
(in monochrome) over the entire colored portion)). On the other
hand, the lower half (180 degree area on near side to exhaust pipe
16) of the circular outer periphery is a non-colored portion 23B
that has not been painted and whose outer peripheral surface is the
original metallic color (metal surface of pipe 22 has not been
resin coated with a resin layer and remains exposed).
[0041] The second conductive portion 22B is attached so as to
follow the top of the floor plate 15 (i.e., separated from the
exhaust pipe 16 by the floor plate 15), and is directed to an
unshown battery on the rearward side.
[0042] This second conductive portion 22B is a colored portion 25
whose metal surface is painted orange with a synthetic resin paint
around the entire circular outer periphery (360 degree area)
thereof (resin coated with a resin layer).
[0043] The present embodiment achieves the following effects. In a
shield conductor 20 provided with electrical wires 21 and a metal
pipe 22 that encloses the electrical wires 21 and whose outer
peripheral surface is covered with an orange (color other than a
metallic color) resin layer, the pipe 22 is routed so that at least
a portion passes in proximity to an exhaust pipe 15 of the vehicle
and at least a portion passes in proximity to an exhaust pipe 16 of
the vehicle, and a section of the pipe 22 passing in proximity to
the exhaust pipe 16 that faces the exhaust pipe 16 is a non-colored
portion 23B that is not covered with a resin layer and whose
metallic-colored metal surface remains exposed.
[0044] Thus, according to the present embodiment, since the section
of the pipe 22 passing in proximity to the exhaust pipe 16 that
faces the exhaust pipe 16 is a non-colored portion 23B that does
not have a resin layer and whose metallic-colored outer peripheral
surface remains exposed, the pipe 22 comparatively tends not to
absorb heat from the exhaust pipe 16 as a result of the heat being
reflected by the metallic-colored section of the pipe 22, enabling
the heating up of the electrical wires in the pipe 22 to be
suppressed.
[0045] Even when this configuration is adopted, the fact that the
pipe 22 is a high temperature pipe 22 can still be identified in
the conventional manner, by configuring the section of the pipe 22
passing in proximity to the exhaust pipe 16 other than the section
that faces the exhaust pipe 16 as a colored portion 23A that is
covered with an orange (color other than a metallic color) resin
layer.
[0046] (2) Since the resin layer is an orange (color other than a
metallic color) resin coating, a color other than a metallic color
can be easily applied to the surface of the pipe.
Embodiment 2
[0047] Embodiment 2 of the invention will be described with
reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.
[0048] In Embodiment 2, a shield conductor 40 is routed under the
floor of a vehicle 50 (underside of floor plate 15 facing the
road).
[0049] Note that the same reference signs are given to constituent
elements that are the same as Embodiment 1, and description thereof
will be omitted. Also, in the following description, the frontward
and rearward directions are respectively to the left side and right
side in FIG. 4.
[0050] The vehicle 50 is, for example, a hybrid car, and, as shown
in FIG. 4, the engine compartment is provided in a front portion of
a body 51. A gasoline-driven engine E is housed in the approximate
center of the engine compartment, and an unshown drive motor
(generator) and an inverter I are housed so as to be stacked one on
top of the other to one side of the engine E.
[0051] A plurality of opening ends 30A at one end of an exhaust
pipe 30 are connected to the engine E, and the other end of the
exhaust pipe 30 is directed outside the vehicle.
[0052] This exhaust pipe 30 consists of a first extended portion
30B that is directed under the floor of the vehicle (underside of
floor plate 15) at a downward angle from the opening ends 30A and
thereafter extends in a straight line, and a second extended
portion 30C that is bent in a crank shape from the end of the first
extended portion 30B and directed to the rearward end of the
vehicle 50.
[0053] Mufflers 31 and 32 whose outer diameter protrudes in a
stepped manner are respectively provided at the back end of the
first extended portion 30B and in a section of the second extended
portion 30C that is parallel with the first extended portion
30B.
[0054] The exhaust pipe 30 is fixed to the floor plate 15 by a
fixture that is not shown.
[0055] The battery B and a rear-wheel drive motor (not shown) are
disposed in a back portion of the body 11.
[0056] The inverter I and the battery B are connected by the shield
conductor 40.
[0057] The shield conductor 40 is configured by inserting two
electrical wires 21 through a cylindrical pipe 42, similarly to
Embodiment 1.
[0058] The pipe 42 is a metal (e.g., aluminum alloy, copper alloy,
stainless steel, etc.) pipe, and is provided at a length that
produces a shield function by covering the electrical wires 21
along substantially their entire length except for the front and
back ends of the electrical wires 21.
[0059] Specifically, the pipe 42 consists of a distant portion 42A
that passes at a distance to the exhaust pipe 30, a middle
connecting portion 42B that is continuous with the distant portion
42A and approaches the exhaust pipe 30, and a proximal portion 42C
that is continuous with the middle connecting portion 42B and
passes in proximity to the exhaust pipe 30.
[0060] The distant portion 42A is directed to one side of vehicle
from a lateral face of the inverter I, and extends rearward along
the side of the vehicle.
[0061] The middle connecting portion 42B and the proximal portion
42C may be required in the case where, for example, the pipe 22
cannot extend directly rearward in a straight line from the distant
portion 42A to the battery B given restrictions on the placement of
the pipe 22 (shield conductor 40) due to various factors such as
the need to secure space for a rear-wheel drive motor.
[0062] In the present embodiment, the middle connecting portion 42B
slopes at a predetermined angle, and the proximal portion 42C is
provided so as to follow (at a distance) the first extended portion
30B in proximity to the muffler 31 provided at the back end of the
first extended portion 30B of the exhaust pipe 30. The rearward end
of the proximal portion 42C curves (bends) according to the
position of the terminals of the battery B and is connected to the
battery B.
[0063] Note that "in proximity" to the exhaust pipe 30 as referred
to here means that the pipe 42 and the exhaust pipe 30 are close
enough for the allowable current of the internal electrical wires
21 to be affected due to the pipe 42 being exposed to the heat of
the exhaust pipe 30.
[0064] The section of the pipe 42 other than proximal portion 42C
(distant portion 42A and middle connecting portion 42B) is given as
a colored portion 45 whose metal surface is painted orange with a
synthetic resin paint over the entire circumference thereof (resin
coated with a resin layer (note that although this area is
represented with a large number of dots in FIG. 5, the resin layer
is formed uniformly (in monochrome) over the entire colored
portion)).
[0065] As shown in FIG. 5, the left half of the circular outer
periphery (lower half in FIG. 5; 180 degree area on far side from
exhaust pipe 30) of the proximal portion 42C is given as a colored
portion 43 whose metal surface is painted orange with a synthetic
resin paint (resin coated with a resin layer). On the other hand,
the right half of the circular outer periphery (upper half in FIG.
5; 180 degree area on near side to exhaust pipe 30) is given as a
non-colored portion 44 that has not been painted and whose outer
surface is not colored and is the original metallic color (metal
surface of pipe 22 has not been resin coated with a resin layer and
remains exposed).
Embodiment 3
[0066] Embodiment 3 of the invention will be described. In
Embodiment 3, the section of the outer peripheral surface of the
pipe that is a color other than a metallic color in the above
embodiments is configured by coloring the outer peripheral surface
of the pipe orange through covering the unpainted metallic-colored
pipe with an orange heat shrinkable tube. Hereinafter, description
of constituent elements that are the same as the above embodiments
will be omitted.
[0067] This shield conductor is formed by passing the unpainted
metallic-colored pipe through a cylindrical heat shrinkable tube
(having a large preshrink diameter and from which the non-colored
section has already been removed), and then heating and shrinking
the heat shrinkable tube. The heat shrinkable tube is thereby
adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the pipe.
[0068] Adhering the heat shrinkable tube to the outer peripheral
surface of the pipe thus enables the outer peripheral surface of
the pipe to be protected by the heat shrinkable tube.
Other Embodiments
[0069] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described
using the above description and drawings, and embodiments such as
the following, for example, are also encompassed within the
technical scope of the invention.
[0070] (1) In the above embodiments, a configuration was adopted in
which two electrical wires 21 were inserted through the pipe 22
(42). However, the invention is not limited thereto, and one
electrical wire 21 or three or more electrical wires 21 may be
inserted through the pipe.
[0071] (2) The non-colored portion 23B (44) where the pipe 22 (42)
is not colored is not limited to the position described in the
above embodiments, and can be located anywhere in proximity to the
exhaust pipe 16 (30). Accordingly, the position of the non-colored
portion 23B (44) can be varied according to factors such as the
shape of the exhaust pipe and the placement of the shield conductor
(structural restrictions on placement).
[0072] (3) In the above embodiments, a configuration was adopted in
which the color applied to the colored portion 23A (43) was orange
in compliance with U.S. standards. However, the invention is also
applicable to shield conductors in which the colored portion 23A
(43) is another color.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0073] 10, 50 Vehicle
[0074] 11, 51 Body
[0075] 12 Engine compartment
[0076] 13 Interior
[0077] 14 Partition
[0078] 15 Floor plate
[0079] 16, 30 Exhaust pipe
[0080] 16A, 30A Opening end
[0081] 20, 40 Shield conductor
[0082] 21 Electrical wire
[0083] 22, 42 Pipe
[0084] 23 Main body
[0085] 23A, 43 Colored portion
[0086] 23B, 44 Non-colored portion
[0087] 24 Connecting portion
[0088] 31, 32 Muffler
[0089] 42A Distant portion
[0090] 42B Middle connecting portion
[0091] 42C Proximal portion
[0092] B Battery
[0093] I Inverter
* * * * *